Life-preserver.



F. STEERING.

LIFE PRESERVER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 29. m8.

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F. STEBBING.

Patented July 23, 1918.

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FRANK STEBBING, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

LIFE-PRESERVER;

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented July 23, 1918- Application filed March 29, 1918. Serial No. 225,529.

To all whom it may concern:

e it known that I, FRANK Sunshine, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented new and useful Inrprovemcnts in Lii'e-Preservers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to life preservers and it consists in the novel features hereinafter described and claimed.

An object of the invention is to provide a life preserver of simple and durable structure adapted to be applied to the human body and which may be inflated by the wearer in order to add buoyancy to the same to sustain the body in floating position in water. I

l/Vith this object in view the life preserver comprises two pouches or sacks adapted to be applied one in front of the body and the other at the back thereof, the said pouches being connected together by means of a belt which passes around the waist of the wearer. The pouches are further connected together by means of straps which pass over the shoulders and communicating tubes which also pas over the shoulders. A valve controlled means is provided at the forward pouch through which the wearer may blow air into the same and straps are connected with the belt and adapted to pass under the body of the wearer whereby the belt is restrained against moving up along the waist.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of a human body with the life preserver applied;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same show ing the life preserver in section;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the life preserver detached;

Fig. 4 is a detailed sectional view of the life preserver;

Fig. 5 is a plan view, with parts in sec tion of inner sacks and tubes used in the life preserver I Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the modified form of the life preserver showing parts broken away;

Fig. 7 is a detailed sectional view of a mouthpiece adapted to be used for inflating the life preserver;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a receptacle which may be used for inclosing and carrying the life preserver. I

As illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawing, the life preserver comprises a forward pouch or sack 1 and a rear pouch or sack 2. These sacks or pouches are connected together by means of a belt 3 which is adapted to pass around the waist of the wearer when the life preserver is applied. Straps 1 are connected at one end with the bolt 3 and detachably connected at their other ends with the said belt and are adapted to pass under the body of the wearer whereby the said belt is prevented against moving up along the waist of the wearer. The detachableconnection between the said straps and the belt are in the form oil snap hooks and eyes 5 of conventional pattern. These connections are located at the forward portions of the belt and straps. Straps (3 connect the upper portions of the sacks or pouches 1 and 2 together and are adapted to lie over the shoulders'of the wearer as best shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing.

Tubes 7 connect at their ends with inner pouches 8 located within the sacks 1 and 2 and the said tubes are located at the opposite sides of the throat of the wearer when the preserver is applied and extend over the shoulders. The said tubes 7 are covered by casings 9 and the said casings may be opened at their upper portions in order to gain access to the said tubes for repairing or other purposes. The edges of the casings 9 may be secured together by means of securing devices 10 :in the form of glove fasteners of conventional form. The casings may be opened by disconnecting the securing devices. The tubes 7 and pouches S are preferably made from thin rubber. A tube 11 is connected with the forward sack 1 and the pouch 8 located therein and a nipple 12 is connected with the upper end of the tube 11. The upper portion of the tube 11 is held in position at the top of the sack 1 by means of a strap 13 as best shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing.

The nipple 12 is provided with a flap valve 1 1 best shown in Fig. 7 of the drawing. Also a mouth piece 15 is screwthreaded upon the nipple 12. A valve 16 is provided at or about the point of connection between the tube 11 and the sack 1 and may be used for closing the passageway through the tube 11.

In the form of the invention as shown in Fig. 6 of the drawing, the sacks 1 and 2 are devoid of inner pouches and are preferably made of rubberized cloth or similar material whereby they are rendered waterproof and airtight. In other respects the general structural arrangement of the form drawing; in the'formof satchel, and may" be provided for holding the lifepreserver when the same is being carried or trans ported. When the life; preserver is applied the partsassume the position on the'body of the wearersubstantially as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing,vwherein 'it will be seen that the uppenportion of the sack 1 is directly under the chin of the wearer and the wearer may blow through the mouthpiece 15 and the tube 11 and thereby-inflate the pouches in the sacks 1 and 2 or the sack as illustrated in Fig. 6. 1 Thuswhen the wearer is in water buoyancy is added to the upper portion of the body whereby the head is supported above the surface ofthe water and the device performs itsrfunction as a life preserver. i

From the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, it will be seen that a life preserver of I simple and durablev structurev is provided and that the same may be easily and quickly applied to the body of the wearer, inflated and removed therefrom.

Having described the invention what is claimed is z- 1. A life preserver comprising sacks adapt- :7 1

straps connecting the sacks together, tubes connecting the sacks together at points below their upper ends whereby the upper portions of the sacksmaybear. against the base of the head of the wearer and means for inflating the sacks and tubes.

"ed to be applied to the forward and rear portions of the body of a wearer, shoulder v .2. A life preserver comprising. sacks adapt- FRANK STEBBING.

Copies of this patent may-.be obtained f or five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

\ ---Wa.shington,D.G. r 

